Michael carter



(No Model.) l A M. CARTER, Jr. DRAFT APPARATUS FOR GARS.

No. 451,851. Patented May 5,1891.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL CARTER, JR., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES T. BROIVN, OF SAME PLACE.

DRAFT APPARATUS FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,851, dated May 5, 1891. Application neanecember 11.1890. semi No. 374.406. (No modem To all whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that L'MICHAEL CARTER, J r., acitizen of the United States, residing at Ghicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illi nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft Apparatus for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a full and complete description.

My invention relates to that class of draft apparatuses wherein the tension upon the drawfhead of the car caused by the hauling of the train shall be transmitted through the draft apparatus of each car without direct strain on the timbers and frame-work of the car other than that required to haul such car and its contents. In other words, in cars iitted with draft apparatus of the character of this the timbers and frame-work of the Vcar do not receive the strain of the cars behind such car in the hauling of the train, suoli strain being borne by the draft apparatus. Draft apparatuses of this character are usually known among railroad-men as continuous draft-rods.

The obj ect of my invention is to obtain a draft apparatus wherein a continuous rod is dispensed with, but the results attained by using a continuous rod are secured, and a draft rod apparatus in which the several parts entering as elements into its construction shall also so enter into the construction of the car that the car will be strengthened thereby, as well as relieved of the strain of the cars in the train to the rear of the car to which my device is attached, the draft apparatus being adapted to receive such strain.

I have illustrated my invention by the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is an end view of a fiat car-body having my invention placed thereon; Fig. 2,

a bottom plan view of a portion of a car-body having the device secured thereon; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of a oar-body having my device secured thereon; Fig. 4, a cross-section on line et 4 of Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an end'plate adapted to be secured to the end of the draft-timbers of the car to protect such draft-timbers from being battered by the coming into contact of any two cars. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a follower-plate required in the construction of a draft-rod apparatus embodying my invention.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A are the car-sills.

A are the cross-timbers at'the end of thc car-body.

A2 A2 are cross-timbers underneath the carbody.

ct is the fioor of the car-body.

B is the draw-head.

b is the yoke of the draw-head B.

C is a carrying-iron and brace.

C is a buffer-timber.

C2 C2 are rods extending through the buffertimber downward on each side of the draftiron to and through the carrying-iron and brace C.

D D are draft-timbers.

d CZ are grooves in draft-timbers D D.

-E E are draft-rods.

E is a draft-rod.

F F are followers.

ff are respectively turned-up edges forniing flanges on the followers F F.

3 are holes in the followers F F through which holes the draft-rods E E are passed,fit ting loosely, so that the followers may move upon the rods. AThe draft-rods E are set into the grooves d, cut in the draft-timbers D D, so as to be supported thereby, and also to allow the draft-timbers to be placed closely up against the yoke Z) of the draw-head B.

G is the transom of the car-body, and g the hole therein for the king-bolt extending into the truck of the car.

H is an end plate fitting over the end of timbers D D, respectively, forming a shoe, against which end plate the follower F is forced when two or more cars are brought together. v

7L is a slot through the flange and body of the plate H, and this [iange 7L corresponds in location with the groove d, so that when the plate H is put in proper position on the end of the draft-timber D the draft-rod E may bc laid therein and in the groove d.

h 7L are anges on plate H.

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H are plates fitting over the cross-timbers A2 A2, through which plates the several draftrods pass.

H2 is a plate placed against the timber A2, against which plate the nut h2 or its equivalent on draft-rod E' is firmly secured.

h2 is a hole through which a bolt securing the shoe H to the timber can pass.

I is a spring placed between the followers F F', and such followers pass through the yoke b of the draft-iron B.

J is a tie-iron extending from one of the draft-timbers D to the other thereof,prevent ing them from spreading.

The inner end of the draft-head B is supported by the followers F F, as can be seen by inspection of the drawings, Fig. 3, the followers being supported by being threaded on the draft-rods E E. rlhe drafttimbers D are secured firmly in the ordinary manner to the timbers A,but are cut off at the ends thereof7 so that follower F', being the inner follower of the two required, abuts or presses against the timber (or again st the plate placed over the timber to protect it) in coupling cars or whenever from any cause any two cars run together. The draft-rods E have nuts e thereon or locking-pins e', as preferred, holding them in place. Each of the four draftrods E E required in the draft apparatus of a car having` my device placed thereunder extends through the front followers F, (one of such followers being placed at each end of the can) through the rear follower F', along the groove d in draft-timber D, through the cross-tim ber A2 andthe plate H', and over the transom G. The dotted line K is substantially the center line of the car from each end thereof. The rod E extends through the plate H', through plate H2, and through the timbers A2 A2, and is secured firmly in position by nuts h2 or other equivalent device.

The operation of the device is, if tension be exerted on draw-head B, such draw-head is drawn forward, carrying with it follower F inside of the yoke b at the inner end of the draw-head and against the spring I, forcing the forward end of such spring against the follower F, and the follower F not being allowed to go forward on account of the nut e or other equivalent device placed thereon the spring is compressed, the amount of such compression yarying with the number of cars back of the car to which the device is attached and the grade over which the train is passing or from any sufficient cause. Draft-rods E E are immovable; but the tension produced therein by the forcing of the follower F against the nuts thereon is transmitted through the rods E E, thereby bringing the pin e', or other equivalent stop at the inner end of the rods D, firmly against the plate H' on timber A2, and the plate H2 upon the other side of the cross-timber A2 being held firmly against such cross-timber A2 by the nut h2 on the outer end of rod E such strain is transmitted to the rod E', and, through elements consisting of the rods E E and followers F F iuclosed within the yoke b of the draw-head B at the other end of the car, and duplicates of the parts at the end of the car described and illustrated, to the other draw-head. /Vhen the cars are brought forcibly together, as in coupling, the draw-head B is pushed inwardly, thereby forcing inward the follower F against the spring I, the other end of the spring being thereby forced against the other follower F', and such follower thereby pushed against the plates H on the end of the drafttimbers D D. The timbers D D therefore receive the buffing strain in the contact of two or more cars, and such timbers extend under the car from the shoes H H to a point equidistant from the other end of the car, where a like shoe H is placed to receive the buiing strain from the other draw-bar when such other draw-bar is pushed in by contact with another car in case of, a car being linked or coupled. The plates H H2 and the crosstimber A2, being firmly pressed together and secured by the nut 'h2 on draft-rod E and pins e e or equivalent fastening on draftrods E E, constitute a transverse bar, through which the several draft-rods named pass and from which they cannot be withdrawn because of these fastenings h2 e.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimfand desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The combination ofa draw-head provided with a yoke on the inner ,end of the stem thereof, draft-rods extending on each side of the yoke to and through a transverse bar at the other end of such rods and secured therein, a front and a rear follower extending through the yoke on the draw-head and supported by but moving freely on the draftrods, the forward one of the followers abutting against a stop on the draft-rods and the rear one thereof abutting against draft-timbers secured to the body of the car, a spring placed within the yoke and between the followers, a tension-rod extending through and secured in the transverse bar and through and secured in a second and like transverse bar at the other end thereof, and draft-rods attached to such second transverse bar and extending to and by the side of the yoke of a draw-head at the other end of the car and having followers thereon, with a spring interposed between them and within such yoke in the same manner as the first-named followers and spring are placed upon the first-named draft-rods, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a draw-head provided with a yoke on the inner end of the stem thereof, draft-timbers having a groove therein, in which are placed draft-rods extending by the side of the yoke of the drawhead, followers supported by and moving loosely on the draft-rods, such followers having a horizontal flange thereon and the forward one thereof abutting against the stop on the draft-rods and the rear one abutting IOO IIO

against the draft-timbers, a spring interposed other end of the oar and through other folbetween the followers within the yoke, translowers placed thereon passing through the verse bars through whioh the draft-rods pass yoke of such other draw-head, such lastand in which they are secured, a tension-rod named followers having a spring interposed 5 passing through and secured in the transbetween them within sueh yoke, substantially I5 verse bar and through a second transverse as described. bar, and other draft-rods passing through and MICHAEL CARTER, .l R.

secured in the second transverse bar, such Witnesses:

last-named draft-rods extending to and by CHARLES T. BROWN, ro the side of the yoke of the draw-head at the FLORA L. BROWN. 

